Re: ON the twelve days of Christmas--not just in the U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group

[Guest guest]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_ChristmasI could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely not a "United States" thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted.

I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all during

the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we

were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that all-important

snow!

At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the

surrounding mountain-tops!

Love to you all,

n

[Guest guest]



my birth certificate says that I am related to half the county of Gloustershire in England in the beautiful Cotswolds - between Oxford in the North and Bristol in the East - the closest big town is Cirencester - the Romans were there - lights on the Christmas tree came from the Germans with Queen 's beloved Prince Albert. I like the Advent candles also - a German custom I picked up in Germany - Dad was stationed there for 3 years

Re: ON "the twelve days of Christmas"--not just in the U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_ChristmasI could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely not a "United States" thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted.

I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all during

the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we

were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that all-important

snow!

At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the

surrounding mountain-tops!

Love to you all,

n

[Guest guest]

That’s a

pretty good article! We’re Orthodox, and by church traditions

gift-giving (mostly to the kids) should take place on St Day (Dec 5/18?,

depending on which calendar your church follows. “The Feast of the

Nativity” is a holy day, and the days after up until Theophany are for

joyous celebration – fasting is forbidden (a big deal when we fast for

more than half the year!) a good time for weddings, etc…

T

in WY

" You get a wonderful view from the point of no return... "

http://practical-blackwork.blogspot.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liadains_fancies

Re: ON " the

twelve days of Christmas " --not just in the U.S./ reply to

Reb--fun for group

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas

I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it pretty

well. Most here in the U.S. have never even

heard of it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly

Lutheran. It is definitely not a " United States "

thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is

taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not

Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just

celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we

drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it

must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the

north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted.

I was so shocked when our family

moved to Southern California, and all during

the depths of winter, and in the

middle of the Christmas season, we

were swimming in the ocean! I

was nine and kept waiting for that all-important

snow!

At least here in the San

Francisco area we do actually get snow on the

surrounding mountain-tops!

Love to you all,

n

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the article! I suppose it's because Sweden is a protestant country we are not really familiar with that tradition then. We also celebrate Christmas not on Christmas day, but on Christmas eve (pretty much all day long, despite the "eve" part of the name...). But I don't know if that's protestant or simply Scandinavian - I know it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Finland too. And our Santa (who's name is jultomte - literally "Christmas tomte") is kind of related to the hustomte (house tomte), the little mythical creature who protects the house/farm, and especially the animals and children, but also the crops etc - but only if you stay on his good side, which you do by treating your animals kindly (if you don't they will tell the house tomte, and his revenge will be hard) and by giving him a bowl of porridge once a year (anyone can afford to pay the tomte the kind of salary he asks for, it would seem). In some myths the jultomte ("Santa") is really just the hustomte growing to the size of a man for that one night every year, when he recieves his porridge. The "tomte" is definitely not a protestant tradition, it originates from the old norse paganism of the Vikings (as many of our Christmas traditions, for that matter). I do like the idea of a mythical creature who is on the side of the small and helpless (children and animals) of the houshold, though. love/Reb>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely not a "United States" thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy, this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted. > > I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all during> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we > were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that all-important> snow!> > At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the > surrounding mountain-tops!> > Love to you all,> n>

[Guest guest]

My little brother's best friend when he was growing up was half Spanish, and his family always had their Christmas gifts on Epiphany. A source of never ending jealousy to my brother as a small kid, he couldn't crasp the idea of anyone not recieving Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve, and hence the gifts on Epiphany must mean that his friend got Christmas gifts twice...love/Reb>> That's a pretty good article! We're Orthodox, and by church traditions> gift-giving (mostly to the kids) should take place on St Day (Dec> 5/18?, depending on which calendar your church follows. "The Feast of the> Nativity" is a holy day, and the days after up until Theophany are for> joyous celebration - fasting is forbidden (a big deal when we fast for more> than half the year!) a good time for weddings, etc.> > > > T> > > > in WY> "You get a wonderful view from the point of no return..."> http://practical-blackwork.blogspot.com> http://www.flickr.com/photos/liadains_fancies> > Re: ON "the twelve days of Christmas"--not just in the> U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group> > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it> pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they> are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely> not a "United States" thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy,> this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not> Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just> celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we> drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it> must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the> north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted. > > > > I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all> during> > the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we > > were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that> all-important> > snow!> > > > At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the > > surrounding mountain-tops!> > > > Love to you all,> > n>

[Guest guest]

Heh. I

remember having ideas like this too – we had Jewish friends who had the 8

days of Chanukah (sp?), and I was floored that there were 8 days of gifts PLUS

Christmas! <G>

Took a long time to

grasp the concept of other religions!

in WY

Re: ON " the twelve days of Christmas " --not just

in the

> U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group

>

>

>

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas

> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it

> pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless

they

> are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is

definitely

> not a " United States " thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at

least in Italy,

> this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not

> Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just

> celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we

> drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it

> must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the

> north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted.

>

>

>

> I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all

> during

>

> the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we

>

> were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that

> all-important

>

> snow!

>

>

>

> At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the

>

> surrounding mountain-tops!

>

>

>

> Love to you all,

>

> n

>

[Guest guest]



This year Hanukah and Christmas are together

Re: ON "the twelve days of Christmas"--not just in the> U.S./ reply to Reb--fun for group> > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas> I could not find a better source for this, but this article explains it> pretty well. Most here in the U.S. have never even heard of it--unless they> are Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian or possibly Lutheran. It is definitely> not a "United States" thing. If one is a Roman Catholic, at least in Italy,> this is taken very seriously; I am half Italian, though we are jews, not> Catholics. I love the whole Christmas thing; as my sister says, we just> celebrate trees and having a little light in the middle of winter! Here we> drink no end of strange alcoholic combinations and brews. Where you are it> must be so beautiful. I grew up in the eastern part of the U.S., in the> north, where we had dark winters and deep snow that lasted, and lasted. > > > > I was so shocked when our family moved to Southern California, and all> during> > the depths of winter, and in the middle of the Christmas season, we > > were swimming in the ocean! I was nine and kept waiting for that> all-important> > snow!> > > > At least here in the San Francisco area we do actually get snow on the > > surrounding mountain-tops!> > > > Love to you all,> > n>